Garden-hose reel.



E. D. MERIKLE.

GARDEN HOSE REEL.

APPLICATION 11.21) JULY 14, 1911.

Patented June 18,1912.

gmwa 0 WITNESSES /Z [Ju/ardlfl/ra'kk 5 "W AT TOHNEVS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

GARDEN-HOSE REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed July 14, 1911. Serial No. 638,503.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD D. MERIKLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and Improved Garden-Hose Reel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to form a reel adapted to automat-ically'wind the hose as the reel is moved along the path of the same to avoid dragging the hose over the ground; to provide in a reel of the character set fort-h means for releasing the winding drum from the rotary mechanism therefor; and to provide means for holding the reel in upright position to serve as a sprinkling adjunct.

One embodiment ofthe present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reel constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail view on on larged scale showing in section a fragment of the handle and latch for holding the drum out of engagement with the driving gear; and Fig. 4 is a combined side and face view of a fragment of the frame, showing a modified form of the means for disconnecting the power transmission gear.

As shown in the drawings, in the handle frame 8 is provided at the end removed from the hand bar 9 the cross bar 10. Preferably the frame 8 and bars 9 and 10 are formed from a single piece of metal. Secured to the said bars of the frame 8 and ofiset slightly therefrom are the brackets 11, 11. The brackets 11 are pierced in line with piercings formed in the said side bars, which piercings constitute the bearing for the carrying wheels 12. The wheels 12 are of any suitable design and are fixedly mounted upon the short axles 13 provided therefor. One of the axles 13, and as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the axle for the wheel at the left of the said figure, is provided with a gear wheel 14 which wheel is rigidly secured to rotate with the axle 13. Meshed with the wheel 14 is a pinion 15. The pinion 15 is rigidly mounted upon the rotary shaft 16 of the reel winding drum. Before proceeding to the description of the reelwindmg drum it is deemed wise to state that the shaft 16 swings on the end thereof designated by the numeral 17 in Fig. 2 of the drawings to the positions shownin Fig. 3

of the drawings in full and in dotted lines.

When the shaft 16 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 the pinion 15 is in mesh with the wheel 14. When the shaft 14 is in position as shown in dotted lines in the said Fig. 3 the pinion 15 is out of mesh with the wheel 14 and the shaft 16 and drum mounted thereon are free to run without interference or aid from the wheel 14. In both positions, as shown in dotted and full lines, the shaft 16 is held by a spring detent latch 18. The latch 18 is struck up to form the pockets 19 and 20, the former constituting the recess to hold the shaft 16 in the normal or engaged position and the latter constituting the recess for holding the shaft 16 in the out of engagement position.

When operating the reel and it becomes desirous to disengage the pinion 15 from the wheel 14, the operator catches hold of the said reel and by a smart quick jerk toward the hand bar 9 dislodges the shaft 16 from the pocket 19 and transfers the same to the pocket 20. When, on the other hand, it is desired to resume the engagement between the pinion 15 and the wheel 14, a sharp thrust against the reel transfers the shaft back into engagement with the pocket 19;

The reel for winding the hose consists in the guard plates 21, 21 which are fixedly mounted upon the shaft 16 and are connected each to the other by the cross bars 22. The cross bars 22 being spread apart constitute a spider frame upon which the hose is wound. The reel is provided with a clip 23 to which the coupling end of the hose is connected, while the hand bar 9 is provided with a clip 24 within the spring grip of which the nozzle of the hose is received and held. The clip 24 may also be utilized for holding the hose or nozzle when it is desired to send a stream into the air and to form a sprinkler. In this use of the apparatus it is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings where it will be noticed the reel is thrown off center and the apparatus rests partly on the cross bar 10.

The ratio of diameter between thewheel 14 and the pinion 15 may be changed or varied to suit the desire of the operator or of mechanism for discontinuing the operation through the transmission mechanism. As seen in the said figure the shaft 16 is slidingly mounted in a slot 25 shown in dotted lines in the face view of the said figure. The shaft is extended through a sliding plate 26, at the upper end whereof f The plate 26 a hook handle 27 is formed. is held in position on the handle frame 8 by a rivet headed bolt 28. The bolt 28 normally rests within the slot 29 at the lower end whereof is provided a short lateral extension to form a rest for the said plate 26, when the same is lifted so that the said lateral extension registers with the bolt 28.

When the gear wheel 14 and pinion 15 are in mesh the machine is used as a standard or rest for the hose. It will be seen that the reel is locked in position and prevented from automatically oraccidentally unwinding, the reel in this position operating as a brake. Again, it will be seen that if the machine should be tilted from the position shown in Fig. 1 to raise the wheels 12 from the ground to rest the machine upon the cross bar 10, the wheels 12 in this position may be used as cranking members for winding the hose by drawing the same across the ground. In some instances this operation is desired, that for instance where the hose is spread across rows of flower beds where it would be inconvenient, if not impossible,

for the operator to roll the reel and carriage therefor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A reel such as described, having a rectangular frame arranged to form a bar, and side members provided with carrying wheels at the separated ends thereof, in combination with a reel having an axle shaft, the one end thereof being rotatably mounted in one of the side members of said frame; a yielding member mounted on said frame having bearings therein disposed lengthwise thereof for the end of said axle shaft, said member adapted to normally hold said shaft in adjusted position; and engaging means mounted 011 said shaft and one of said carrying wheels adjacent said yielding member for rotating said shaft in unison wit-h the rotation of said carrying iwheel.

2. A hose reel, comprising a reel frame having a supporting axle, two carrying ;wheels, each having short stud axles, and a iquadrilateral rectangular frame bent to ;form a standing rest for the hose reel, said gframe being perforated to form bearings @for the stud axles of said carrying wheels land for one end of the axle of said reel, isaid frame being slotted longitudinally to 5 form a guide for the other end of said axle Eof said reel; a plurality of bearing brackets rigidly mounted at the inner side of said gframe, perforated in line with the perforations formed therein to provide bearings for Ethe stud axles of said wheels, transmission igear wheels operatively connecting the stud }axles of one of said wheels and the supporting axle of said reel; and a spring bearing plate mounted on said frame to cover said slot, said plate having bearings for the end of the supporting axle of said reel, said bearings being longitudinally disposed in said plate to hold said transmission gears in lengagement and out of engagement, respectively. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my 3 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' EDWARD D. MERIKLE.

Witnesses:

E. F. MURDooK,

JOHN P. DAVIS. I

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

